Limited Run Games advertises itself as a "premium publisher" giving indie and digital titles a physical release. From playing hard copies of Witch Beam's Unpacking on PS5 to bringing back classics like WayForward's Shantae on Game Boy, this service has merit in regard to preservation. However, Limited Run Games also produces special goodies like vinyl soundtracks or plushies, giving people the chance to envelop themselves in a community. Pocket Llama's Toasty: Ashes of Dusk is taking a similar approach.
The upcoming Zelda-like action-adventure RPG is currently making its way through Kickstarter, having raised over $80,000 USD — well beyond its $25,000 goal, with nearly two weeks left as of this writing. Its main team is just six individuals, but mutual friends led to a publishing deal with Top Hat Studios that, in turn, expanded Toasty's scope beyond a PC skew to include console ports, physical releases, and merchandise. Game Rant spoke to director Justin "Dooper" East about Toasty's Kickstarter and building both a community and brand.
Growing the World of Toasty: Ashes of Dusk
Toasty: Ashes of Dusk started as a project made by a small group with other obligations. East does "a bit of everything" on the game, but is also a full-time software engineer by day and streamer with a "low-poly Llama VTuber" model by night. He said the original build for Toasty was made using skills from YouTube tutorials and online courses, and that even if game development is "really hard," it's worth it. "We all have a story to tell, and life is about finding what medium we will use to tell it."
East said Toasty's story is the most exciting aspect for him, reflecting his team's personalities. Prospective fans can start to get acclimated with the Land of Geldia and characters whom amnesiac protagonist Marshall will meet through a prequel comic called Toasty: Gallant Dawn, released May 2020. This was one of the team's first ventures, an opportunity to "paint the world a bit" using the comic backgrounds of narrative director Ivy Jade Weaver and art director Brian Farrar.
Marshall has become something of a mascot for the project; its own Mario, Sonic, or Kirby; but East said this wasn't their intent going in. His marshmallow design stems from East trying to draw a knight and struggling with the head. It was a bit of serendipity, with Marshall's design not only lending itself to gameplay elements, but also making him perfect for physical Kickstarter rewards like plushies and keychains. "The responses to Marshall’s design have been overwhelmingly positive, and it’s really given the team so much hype."
Kickstarter Benefits For Toasty's Developers and Fans
Being able to host a Kickstarter with rewards such as Marshall plushies, not to mention the team's "dream" of physical Switch cartridges and merchandise ranging from postcards to tote bags, is a result of Pocket Llama's partnership with Top Hat. East said the publisher has been handling PR, marketing, and ports, while also stepping in to help design the crowdfunding campaign. Thus far it has been a bigger success than anticipated, raising its required funding in less than three hours, and Pocket Llama is "blown away" by how much attention Toasty has received.
"Honestly we weren’t expecting so much love for our game, and we’re just incredibly happy that goals are being hit and people are excited! It’s hard for me to really explain because I’m getting emotional just talking about it. I can’t thank our fans enough."
As of this writing, 10 stretch goals have been hit through Kickstarter, including new areas, more fleshed-out NPCs with dating sim elements, and quality-of-life additions like a cheat code menu. This campaign will inject money into all aspects of production, including potentially hiring more help for programming that's mainly being handled by the "powerhouse talent" of Faulty Functions.
However, East said the first thing his team will do after the Kickstarter ends is take a few days to celebrate and process the success. After that they'll worry about creating a roadmap with stretch goals in mind, as "we're very organized and like our lists."
"My team is incredible, and I want them to be paid for their hard work ... There’s been a lot of heart put into this game, and it’s become a part of us, so seeing people enjoy the fruits of our labor will be the absolute greatest."
Toasty: Ashes of Dusk is in development for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. Its Kickstarter lasts until April 28, 2022.
Source: Kickstarter